89 F150 fuel question.

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Ted - 11 Feb 2008 01:29 GMT

I recently picked up a 89 F150 4.9 5 Speed. I have only put about 20 miles
on it so far. The front tank reads about 1/4 tank and the truck runs fine.
The rear tank reads about 1 1/4 tank and will intermittently act like the
truck is running out of gas. If I put in the clutch and hold the gas pedal
down a little more, it will usually resolve the issue, but sometimes I have
to switch to the front tank.

Could this be the infamous valve to switch between tanks?

Thanks,
Ted

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Tom J - 11 Feb 2008 02:49 GMT

> I recently picked up a 89 F150 4.9 5 Speed. I have only put about 20
> miles on it so far. The front tank reads about 1/4 tank and the
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Could this be the infamous valve to switch between tanks?

Baybe, or maybe not. You may have old/bad fuel in the rear tank.
Depending on how long it's been in there. It may have absorbed water,
especially if you are in an area where it contains ethanol.

Tom J

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Ted - 12 Feb 2008 02:53 GMT

>> I recently picked up a 89 F150 4.9 5 Speed. I have only put about 20
>> miles on it so far. The front tank reads about 1/4 tank and the truck
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Tom J

Thanks, No ethanol here yet. I think I will get some gas dryer.

Any ideas about the gauge reading about 1 1/4 full. Do you think that there
could be that much condensation? It seems like a lot. I really don't cherish
the idea of having to drain the tank.

Ted

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Ken - 15 Feb 2008 08:43 GMT

> >> I recently picked up a 89 F150 4.9 5 Speed. I have only put about 20
> >> miles on it so far. The front tank reads about 1/4 tank and the truck
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> Ted

You will find many posts to this group about F150 fuel problems in
vehicles of that era. Briefly, there are three petrol pumps - one LP
in each tank and one HP which feed the fuel rail. Between the fuel
tank and the HP pump is a thing called (from memory) the dual function
reservoir. Also relevant to your problem is the possibility that one
tank (or the other) has spent long periods empty. In that situation,
the sender assembly composts! And the tank corrodes.

All these things are repairable - the problem is to identify the
fault.

Happy hunting.

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